This Personal Action Plan by Ms. Melissa Hodges of the Red McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, is a good demonstration of our thesis that students can learn as much from each other as they can from college professors.

1. PERSONAL ACTION PLAN Melissa Hodges
Current Observing Bargaining Considering Teamwork
Skills Opposition’s Objectives
Skills to Listening More, Using Roles Testing Commitment Preparing
Work on Talking Less
My Goals In order to become a better My first goal is to get As I stated above, I I hope to get to the point where
listener, I need to employ more comfortable with consider myself to be very I am fully prepared before any
the use of active listening. In the idea of ‘roles’ and good at seeing things from negotiation. Not only do I want
our negotiation, I learned how they can be utilized my opponent’s point of to know my objectives, but I
the importance of this and interchanged within view. I am quick to give hope to have an inclination of
concept. My goal is to take a negotiation. Before our the benefit of the doubt, what my opponent’s objectives
what I learned from our seminar, I never really however, which can be are as well. I hope to understand
exercise and apply it to all of thought that there were costly in a negotiation. fully the steps that encompass a
my conversations and roles, so I want to This can be a huge successful preparation.
dealings with others. I need become more educated problem in a negotiation
to learn to fully listen to so that I can efficiently where my opponent is not Another goal is to teach any
what my opponent is saying use roles to better my being completely honest team that I am on the steps to
instead of using that time to team’s negotiation with me and I give them all properly preparing so that we
prepare what I am going to strategy. my trust. So, my goal is to can all be on the same page
say next. work on not giving my when the negotiation begins.
I will familiarize myself trust too easily, but testing
I hope to get to the point with the roles so that to see how committed my Another goal is to pay attention
where the people in my life when someone speaks opponent is to the to the relationship between
know that I am a genuine up, I can recognize which negotiation. hours of preparing, and success
listener because I believe role they are taking. in a negotiation to help me to
this can carry a lot of weight Another goal is to be sure more quantitatively understand
in a negotiation setting. If Another goal is to not to let myself be taken this concept.
your opponent can see your practice each role at least advantage of.
sincerity, they are more once so that I can
likely to want to deal with understand what it
you. means in context of a
given situation.

2. PERSONAL ACTION PLAN Melissa Hodges
My While relating with my I will utilize the handout Once again, testing I think that the idea of
Resources friends and family, I can of roles and try to commitment can be preparation can be applied
practice the idea of active recognize ‘roles’ that done in almost any across all aspects of life, not
listening. Also, exercises are playing out in social, professional, or just formal negotiations. I can
such as the one that we normal, day-to-day collegiate activity. I will practice preparing for my
did in class are VERY conversations. When I use my past experiences discussions with peers and
beneficial because active speak with my family, of judging genuineness professors by using the steps
listening is crucial to the or friends, I will try to and character of outlined in the PowerPoint
success of the negotiation. take note of the role individuals in order to slides that we were provided
they are playing in the test the commitment of with in class. I also will utilize
conversation because a those whom with I my peers because I know that
Any social activity that I lot of these negotiation negotiate. in any preparation, it is
am involved in can help roles show up in I will be genuine about important to get multiple
me with this skill, as well everyday conversation. my own commitment in perspectives on the issue,
as any professional or order to build a mutual even if you are conversing
collegiate activity. trust within the with those people who are on
Listening is very much a I will use my ability to relationship. your team.
part of everyday life. If see with multiple
you are around people, perspectives in order to
active listening can (and fully understand the Also, I will use my sports
should) be practiced. benefits of each role, team (tennis)
even if it doesn’t seem relationships in order to
apparent to me at first. get a different
perspective on
commitment.

3. PERSONAL ACTION PLAN Melissa Hodges
Action Plan I will be an active listener My plan of action to I will expose different I will always take time to
ALL the time. I will really help me to improve this levels of commitment in prepare for any negotiation,
pay attention to what skill is to use roles in my different situations and discussion or focus group. I
everyone around me is everyday life. Practice observe the reactions of will practice as much as
saying and genuinely try different roles in others. I will observe possible in order to master
to understand. different situations and others in their attempt the preparation process so
I will take note of other’s see how they play out. to show commitment so that I can be ready for any
reactions to my active that I can understand obstacle that comes my way
listening so that I can I will also watch to see how different (at least most obstacles.)
experience the benefits how others respond to personalities and
first hand. each role in order to different cultures may I will use the steps outlined in
I believe that this is become a better judge express commitment in a the PowerPoint.
another skill that can of which role is best different way.
ALWAYS improve, but I given the present I hope to have this mastered
think I can get better if I situation. This is a skill that I don’t in 6 months, so that when I
am dedicated to think I will ever FULLY am in upper division
consciously practicing it I think that this will take master because my negotiation classes in business
for 6 months. a long time to fully personality is always to school, I can provide a
master, but that I can give benefit of the doubt. competitive edge for my
improve it within 3-4 I can train myself not to team.
months. be so trusting, but I think
it will take at least a year
before I can
unconsciously un-trust
someone (or maybe it
will just take one really
bad negotiation and I will
learn my lesson!)